What H.R. 1 Means for Native Americans: Key Wins for Native Elders, Workers, and Economic Independence

As Congress advances sweeping budget and tax legislation through H.R. 1, Native leaders and advocates must look closely at how this bill impacts our communities. Some sections continue government services like Medicaid, SNAP, and adoption tax credits for tribal citizens, others expand on wins for self-governance. Native Americans for Sovereignty and Preservation (NASP) breaks down exactly what this bill means for Indian Country. Text – H.R.1 – 119th Congress (2025-2026): One Big Beautiful Bill Act | Congress.gov | Library of Congress

For those of us committed to conservative values, tribal sovereignty, and economic self-reliance, H.R. 1 offers promising tools to strengthen our nations. The bill champions American energy independence, expands opportunities for revenue through tribal timber, and cuts through the bureaucratic tape that too often stalls Native-led projects. While some criticize the bill for its aggressive energy strategy, many Native communities—especially in Alaska and the West—view responsible development as a pathway to jobs, tribal revenue, and greater freedom from federal dependency.

Revenue from natural resources supports more than just tribal budgets. It funds health centers, broadband expansion, school buildings, elder services, and vocational training. In places like North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Arizona, and Alaska, energy development has already helped Native youth find work, stay in their communities, and build generational wealth. H.R. 1 provides tools that—when managed well—reduce federal dependence and rebuild Native prosperity from within.

For too long, federal renewable energy programs have promised progress but delivered unreliability to tribal communities. H.R. 1 rightly rescinds funding for so called “green” initiatives—like solar and wind subsidies—that relied on Chinese-made non-recyclable parts, offered no long-term maintenance, and left Native families in the dark. Many tribes were sold intermittent systems that couldn’t power homes, clinics, or schools without reliable diesel backups. This bill prioritizes grid reliability, domestic production, and tribal choice—restoring energy sovereignty and ensuring our communities have dependable, scalable power they can trust.

H.R. 1 provides big tax reductions on tips, overtime, auto loans, and Social Security, delivering bigger paychecks and more breathing room for working-class tribal citizens and our elders. In Indian Country—where many work in service-based tribal enterprises like casinos, hotels, and restaurants (tribal tourism)—ending the tax on tips is a direct win for Native families living paycheck to paycheck. For our elders, protecting Social Security income without penalties or claw backs ensures dignity in retirement, especially in communities where tribal pensions are rare.

The bill takes aggressive action to eliminate federal fraud, waste, and abuse, including programs that have been misused even by some in Indian Country. That accountability matters. Our communities deserve to see honest dollars used for honest outcomes, not misappropriated by middlemen or shell nonprofits. Even more urgently, the bill tackles the border crisis by investing $150 billion in enforcement, finishing the wall, and hiring thousands of new agents to stop fentanyl, sex trafficking, and cartel activity. Many tribal lands—especially along the southern border—have become corridors for cartel movement, putting Native women, children, and elders at risk. By enforcing immigration law and returning people to their home nations, H.R. 1 restores safety to Native lands, pushes traffickers out, and keeps lethal drugs like fentanyl from poisoning our youth.

Key Wins for Native Communities in H.R. 1

SNAP and Medicaid for Tribal Members

The bill provides exemptions for American Indians, Urban Indians, and Alaska Natives from work requirements tied to food stamps (SNAP) and Medicaid eligibility. We know as nearly 70% of Native Americans live in urban areas where employment challenges and cost of living remain high.

Tribal Authority on Special Needs Adoptions

H.R. 1 affirms that tribal governments can determine whether an adopted Native child qualifies as “special needs” for the federal adoption tax credit. This empowers tribal social service agencies and removes a bureaucratic hurdle that treated tribes unequally compared to states. The bill also permanently expands the child tax credit, supporting Native parents raising the next generation.

Tax Relief for Alaska Native Subsistence Whaling

The bill quadruples the subsistence whaling deduction from $10,000 to $50,000 annually. This helps Alaska Native captains afford fuel, equipment, and provisions vital to traditional hunts, preserving both food security and cultural identity.

Support for Native Economic Development in Remote Villages

Western Alaska’s Community Development Quota (CDQ) entities, which serve 65 Alaska Native villages, are granted tax protections to continue investing in fishing, local businesses, and workforce development.

Indirect Gains from Housing and Community Credits

The bill enhances Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and New Markets Tax Credits, tools that could increase affordable housing and small business investment in cities with high Native populations. While not tribal-specific, these programs help address the growing crisis of urban Native homelessness and economic marginalization.

Timber Sales and Tribal Forest Revenue

H.R. 1 also streamlines permitting for long-term timber sales on Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands. Many tribal nations, especially in Oregon, Washington, and Montana, own or co-manage forest lands that generate timber revenue. The bill removes administrative delays and makes it easier to initiate sustainable harvesting contracts.

Tribal Energy Development on Federal and Tribal Lands

The bill reopens leasing for oil and gas development in Alaska’s Arctic regions—including the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska (NPR–A) and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). These lands, rich with natural resources, are adjacent to or co-managed with Native villages and corporations. For communities like the Inupiat, energy leasing offers a major source of income, infrastructure, and job creation. By increasing state revenue shares from 50% to 70% post-2034, H.R. 1 gives Alaska more flexibility to reinvest in roads, clinics, and rural services that often benefit Native regions most.

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While the bill advances many good goals for Indigenous peoples, tribal consultation must remain central. Native voices—especially from subsistence and cultural communities—must be heard. But rejecting all development out of fear is not sovereignty—it is stagnation.

Final Word from NASP

For decades, federal overregulation and outside interference have blocked Native economic growth. H.R. 1 offers a shift—a return to self-determination through resource development, streamlined permitting, and freedom to prosper. For Native conservatives who believe in energy independence, reduced federal control, and nation-building through enterprise, this is a step toward restoring the wealth and resilience of our tribal nations.

Native Americans for Sovereignty and Preservation (NASP) believes that H.R. 1 delivers on President Trump’s promise: to put America—and Native America—first. From restoring public safety and unleashing our natural resources to protecting our elders and working families, this bill affirms that sovereignty, strength, and prosperity begin at home. Tribal nations deserve more than lip service—we deserve the right to build, protect, and thrive under a government that works with us, not over us.